Emergency ignition unit



April 4, 1939. L. K ILBORN EMERGENCY I-aNITIoN UNIT Filed June 13, 1936INVENTOR LAWRENCE K/EORN AT oRNEY Patented Apr. 4, 1939 PATENT OFFICEEMERGENCY IGNITION UNIT .Lawrence Kilburn, Bronx, N. Y., assignor toAngelo Sellaro, New York, '-N. Y.

Application June 13, 1936, Serial No. 85,002 1 Claim. A(Cl. 12S-.148)

This invention relates to ignition systems of the battery ,distributortype, in which an engine driven breakerinterrupts the primary circuitand a synchronously operated distributor carries the high tensioncurrent to the spark plugs,v

While suchlsystems are highly eiiicient, they have certain inherent weakpoints or possibilities of breakdown. 'I'he breaker points wear andbecome pitted and by so doing, vary the timing and reduce the efticiencyof the engine. It is not unusual for the condenser, which is bridgedacross the breaker points to fail. The current required for startingfrequently leaves insufficient energy for ignition and with a run-downbattery, this fault continues during operation of the engine. Withoutfurther enumerating the faults or limitations of present ignitionsystems, it can be stated that the objects of thel present invention areto avoid and eliminate the above andother of the specificationillustrates one practical embodiment of the invention, but it will beapparent, as the description is followed and the claim is understood,that the actual physical structure may b' variously modied, all within`the true intent and broad scope of the invention.

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a typical battery ignitionsystem with the emergency unit applied to and operating in conjunctiontherewith. f 4

Fig. 2 is a detailed perspective view of the complete unit. f

Fig. 3 is a'n enlarged sectional detail as on sub stantiall'y the planeof line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view as on substantially the plane ofline 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a broken detail showing a distributor` by wiring I0, with thecircuit breaker I I, operated from the engine driven cam I2. 'I'he shaftof this cam usually carries the distributor arm I3, connected by wiringI4, with the high tension winding I5, and cooperating with the terminalsI6,

.I the other wire 2|, to the insulated terminal 23,

- insulatingsupport 32, and carrying a contact 33,

ling at 31, Fig. 4, o'n the'supporting bracket 39, 45

' tacts are shown in Fig. 4, as secured in position 50 connected withthe several spark plugs I1. I8 indicates the condenser, usuallyconnected across the breaker points. j

The so-called emergency unit of this invention consists of a buzzer orelectromagnetic. circuit f5' interrupter or vibrator I9, which iscut-into'the primary circuit of the system in placel offthe' breakerunit and which operates through the". spark coil of the systemto'produce a iiow.,v of high tension current, delivered in propersequence to 10 the spark plugs by the rotating distributor-arm of thesystem. l

In the illustration, this unit is connected in service by simplyinterrupting the-primary connections to the breaker as indicated' by theI5 broken line I0, and by connecting two leads 20, 2|, at the oppositesides of such interruption. In actual practice, this may be accomplishedby simply disconnecting the low tension wire "I0, between the primary ofthe spark coil and the 20 breaker and then connecting the one wire 20,to the primary terminal 22, of the spark coil and of the breaker. In theparticular form of unit here disclosed, 25 the wiresl 20, 2|, areconnected with a two position switch, which can be used to cut theeinergency unit in service or to restore the original connections of theignition system. This changeover switch may be a simple three-way toggle30 switch asillustrated at 24, Figs. 2 and 3, and connected as in Fig.1, that is, with the lead 2|),'connected with the movable switch elementrepresented at 25, the wire 2|, attached to one switch terminal 26, andthe other switch terminal 21, 35 connected by wiring 28, with one end ofthe coil of magnet I9.

v The other end of the magnet coil is shown connected by wiring 29, to aterminal plate 3|), Figs. 3 and 4, riveted at 3|, on the underside ofthe 40 for engagement by contact 34, on a spring extension 35, ,of thevibrating armature 36. This armature is grounded through its springmountwhich directly contacts the metallic supporting base 39. v

The entire coil unit including the mounting bracket, magnet coil,armature and vibrator conon the base by a nut 40, engaged on theextended screw-threaded end 4I, of they magnet core, which screw portionextends through both the supporting bracket 39, and the base structure39.

A hollow cover 42, is shown engaged over the ...Imi *J base 39, and thiscover is shown utilized as a mounting for the Change-over switch 24.

A condenser 43, is shown as mounted in the case at one side of theelectromagnet and as having its ungrounded terminal connected by wiring44, Fig. 3, with the terminal plate 30, so

as to be bridged across the vibrator contacts as diagrammaticallyindicated in Fig. 1.

Constructed as illustrated, the device constitutes a smalll compactunit, which can be readily mounted on the back of an instrument panel orthe like, and be quickly connected in service relation by simplyattaching the two Wires 20, 2|, to the primary coil terminal and thebreaker terminal, after these latter-have rst been disconnected fromeach other. the metallic case of the unit to some metal part, such asthe instrument panel, as by screws passed through the mounting openings45, in the base, automatically provides the necessary grounding orcommon returnconnection.

By placing the switch in the position shown in Fig. 1, the circuit tothe breaker is disconnected and thev vibrator is connected in thecircuit'of the primary winding. Then, with the ignition switch on, thebuzzer will vibrate, interrupting the primary circuit and producing hightension current in the secondary, which will be carried to the sparkplugs by the regulator distributor arm.

If desired, at any time, the breaker may be out back in circuit tofunction in the usual way by simply turning the movable switch element25, over to the switch contact 26, in Fig. l, by which the buzzervibrator will be out out of circuit and the breaker restored to itsnormal function.

The invention thus provides an auxiliary or emergency substitute` forthe interrupter and a means by which the coil and distributor lof theregular system may be kept in service to maintain a standard ignitionsystem in operation. This unit may be placed on the back of th'e dash ona car or motor boat, for example, and be kept there in reserve for useat any time the system may fail to operate, as because of faulty breakermechanism, a broken down condenser, or the like. By switching over fromthe breaker to this unit and back again, various faults in the ignitionsystem may be traced and remedied. Because of the continuity of sparksthus provided, an ignition system may be maintained opeilect obtainedwith the breaker.

The attaching of erative with a rundown battery, where the systern wouldfail to function with the single spark The same is true with respect tofaulty or weak spark plugs and as regards to other conditionsexperienced with the usual battery distributor ignition systems.

The spring mounting 35, for the interrupter contact 34, may be made moreresilient by cutting the arched portion of the same as indicated at 46,.Fig. 3. This resiliency is important as permitting a longer period oftime for the magnet coil and condenser to charge, enabling the device tooperate at lower voltages for examp1e to operate on only three volts ona standard six volt outfit.

If the emergency unit is to be kept in extended use, it may be desirablein some instances, to use a special distributor arm, such as that shownat |3a, in Fig. 5, which is offset in a spark retarding direction asshown by comparison with the outline of the standard distributor arm atI3, and which may have a pointed instead of a wide tip as shown at41,450 as not to deliver the spark at an angle where pre-ignition mayoccur.

The invention is of special utility for trucks, buses and motor boatswhere it is particularly important that break-down be avoided and theengine be kept running. Especially important is the use for motor boatengines which may stand idle over considerable periods and may be slowto start when cold after a long idle period. The control switch enablesthe unit to be out into service under such starting conditions and thenwhen the engine is running properly, the switch may be thrown to cut thebreaker of 'the system back into service.

What is claimed is:

An emergency unit for maintaining a conventional battery distributorignition system in operation, upon failure of the breaker mechanism ofthat system and comprising a magnetic circuit interrupter, means forconnecting the same with the primary winding of the conventional rsparkcoil independently of the conventional breaker circuit in such systemand a distributor arm to be substituted in place of the distributor armof the conventional system, said substitute arm` being of angularlyspark-retarded form and having a terminal end of reduced extent ascompared distributor arm.

